Communication & RLCs

Program Requirements

Reply/RSVP to emails, invitations, and event announcements from BUILD EXITO staff within two business days. Based on the time of email delivery and in accordance with the Portland State University calendar
Inform RLC of short and long term absences. Also inform BUILD about long term absences.

Tips and Suggestions

Getting the most from your relationship with your mentor and RLC

Mentorship
Professional Development
Networking
Skill Building
Research Interests

What do you want to contribute to your RLC?

A relationship is a two way street!
What your mentors gain:
Professional development as an instructor and mentor
Research collaboration with student (RLC)
Intellectual collaboration: harvesting your ideas

How important is professional development in your RLC placement?

Science opportunities: participate in research panels, job shadow, enrichment workshops, mentoring
Science identity: develop a portfolio, resume, CV
Education and career: benefit from the experiences of your community to achieve career goals (graduate school, job placement, etc.)

How important is networking in your RLC placement?

With every new professional relationship you open the door to possible

Letters of reference
Research collaborations
A new bank of personal experiences from which to learn
A new secondary network of connections

Additional Tips for a Successful RLC Experience

Prompt, clear communication is essential. Check your pdx.edu and ohsu.edu emails frequently.
Get to know researchers and grad students in your lab early - what their roles are, how your work will intersect with theirs
Participate in a broad range of University (PSU and OHSU) events

Professional Communication

Professional Communication is an important part of being a BUILD EXITO Scholar and will help you feel more comfortable with and get the most out of your research experience.

Prompt, clear communication is essential. Check your pdx.edu email frequently. If you are in an OHSU RLC, check your OHSU email frequently
Please reply to your RLC promptly if they reach out to you.
Some examples of important communication with your RLC include letting them know of:
Any any time off you need (last minute call outs, finals, breaks, personal issues, sick time)
Goals you have for your time in the RLC (skills to learn, inclusion on publications, independent project, etc.)
Any barriers to completing your assigned tasks (unclear instructions, difficulties with a colleague, access to resources, etc.).
The Scholar-RLC agreement (below) has additional guidelines and tips for maintaining professional communication with your RLC and the BUILD-EXITO team.
Our goal is for you to feel supported in your RLC setting. See the "RLC Team & Getting Assistance" page for assistance with RLC communication issues. Discussions with the BUILD-EXITO team can remain confidential as we work with you to determine the best way to communicate anything to your RLC mentors.

Goal Setting

Think about and write an answer for each of the following:
What do I want from a research mentorship relationship?
What type of professional development is most important to me? (Consider creating a preliminarily list.) How can I cultivate these priorities in the context of my RLC?
What skills am I most interested in building? How do I anticipate that this will contribute to my career development?
How will I use my research placement to network?
What are my research interests?

Set yourself up for success & make a good impression!

Set yourself up for success & make a good impression by showing:

Natural curiosity, interest in their research, drive to learn plus the same qualities that any employer would expect
Scientific engagement
Self motivation
Team playing
Self confidence
Work ethic
Reliability
Trustworthiness
Ethical standards
Technical mastery

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